With free agency looming, Ticats re-sign receiver Luke Tasker

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats have re-signed receiver Luke Tasker to a two-year contract.

The 27-year-old was set to become a free agent on Tuesday.

Tasker played in all 18 games last season, setting a franchise record for receptions with 104 while also registering 1,167 yards (sixth in the CFL) and seven touchdowns. The Buffalo, N.Y. native has spent five years with Hamilton, earning CFL East Division All-Star nods in 2014, 2015 and 2017.

The son of former Buffalo Bill Steve Tasker, Luke and his wife Jenna live in the Buffalo area inthe off-season and recently welcomed their first child.

Tasker was one of three key players the Ticats were hoping re-sign before free agency begins along with linebacker Larry Dean and defensive tackle Ted Laurent.

“Luke is a leader in our locker room and has developed into one of the best receivers in the Canadian Football League,” head coach June Jones said in a statement. “He’s got an outstanding skill set, and his unselfish play and toughness are exactly the kind of attributes that we want to personify in the football team. It was important to have him back and we’re thrilled to have him continue to call Hamilton home as the only franchise in his professional football career.”

The move gives the Ticats an excellent receiving corps heading into next season with Tasker, Jalen Saunders and the recently re-signed Brandon Banks having all notched 1,000-yard campaigns in 2017. Terrence Toliver should be close to 100 per cent after suffering a knee injury in the opening game last season and Canadian Shamawd Chambers registered 28 receptions for 279 yards in seven games after joining the Ticats via a trade with Edmonton.

As I’ve said before, he’s the Darren Flutie/Ben Cahoon of his era. Big piece of the puzzle. Now get Dean signed, then go after a good SAM linebacker through Free Agency. Let Kanneh go back to playing halfback.

I don’t understand the Darren Flute/Ben Cahoon comparison. What about SJ Green as the Darren Flutie/Ben Cahoon of his era?
But I would call Brad Sinopoli the Ben Cahoon of his era, a 3 in a row 1,000 yard Canadian receiver just like Cahoon.

Great news! Ti-Cats looking good on offense for next season. They have the smallest number of pending free agents and have already managed to sign back most of the important ones. Continuity is good for teams, clearly guys like playing in the Hammer.

That is Great news for not only Tiger Cat football fans but the City of Hamilton.If you can”t Root for a Quality Guy like Luke, then I would question if you still have a pulse! So I know if I am at Tim Hortons Field I will be cheering loud and proud for Tasker.